Table 3 Overview of in vivo studies of the immunotoxic effects of nano- and microplastics in invertebrates
From: Immunotoxicity and intestinal effects of nano- and microplastics: a review of the literature
Reference | Nano-micro plastics | Dosage | Duration of exposure | Route of exposure | Species | Observed immunotoxic effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nanoplastics | ||||||
Sadler et al., Environ. Pollut. 2019 [102] | Carboxylate- modified polystyrene beads 500 nm | 1.25 ± 0.205 particles/L, or 85.6 ± 14.0 mg/L | 1 year | Tank water | Cladoceran (Daphnia magna) | ↑ Hemocyte counts |
Brandts et al., Sci.Total Environ. 2018 [77] | Polystyrene ~ 110 nm | 0.005–0.05-0.5-5-50 mg/L | 96 h | Tank water | Mussel (Mytiulus galloprovincialis) | Hemolymph ↓total antioxidant capacity (5 mg/L) ↑ DNA damage (all dosages) |
Auguste et al., Front.Immunol 2020 [103] | Amino-modified nanopolystyrene 50 nm | 10 μg/L | 24 h | Tank water | Mussel (Mytilus. galloprovincialis) | Hemocytes One exposure: ↓ mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), ↑ lysosomal acidification ↓ lysosomal membrane stability ↑ lysozyme release No changes in total hemocyte count, subpopulations, phagocytic activity and ROS production ↓ transcription of PCNA and p53 No change in hemolymph bactericidal activity Two exposures with 72 h resting period between: normal hemocyte lysosomal stability, MMP, and lysozyme activity ↓ lysosomal membrane destabilization ↓ fully mature phagocytes ↑ bactericidal activity ↑ transcription of immune-related genes |
Auguste et al. Marine Environmental Research 2020 [104] | Amino-modified nanopolystyrene 50 nm | 10 μg/L | 96 h | Tank water | Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) | Hemolymph ↓ phagocytosis, ↑ ROS and lysozyme activity ↓ NO production. Hemolymph microbiota composition shift |
Microplastics | ||||||
Paul-Pont et al., Environmental Pollution 2016 [76] | Polystyrene microbeads (2 and 6 μm) | 32 μg/L | 7 days | Supplied with Chaetoceros mueller algae as a food source | Mussel (Mytilus spp) | ↑ hemocytes mortality and ROS production |
Liu et al., Sci. Total Environ.,2019 [99] | Polystyrene 5 μm | 0.04–0.4-4-40 mg/L | 7, 14, and 21 days | Tank water | Crab (Eriocheir Sinensis) | Immune parameters in the hemolymph Hemocyanin content After 7 days: ↑ at 0.04 mg/L After 14 days: ↑ at 0.04 and 0.4 mg/L After 21 days: ↓at all dosages Acid phosphatase activity After 7 days: ↑ at 4 and 40 mg/L After 14 days: ↑ at 0.04 and 0.4 mg/L, ↓ 4 and 40 mg/L After 21 days: ↑ at 0.04 mg/L, ↓ 4 and 40 mg/L Alkaline phosphatase activity After 7 days: ↑ at 0.04 mg/L, ↓ 4 and 40 mg/L After 14 days: ↑ at 0.04 mg/L After 21 days: ↓ at all dosages Lysozyme activity After 7 days: ↓ at 40 mg/L After 14 days: ↓ at 0.4 and 4 mg/L After 21 days: ↓ at 4 et 40 mg/L Phenoloxidase activity After 7 days: ↑ at 0.04, 0.4, 4 mg/L, ↓ 40 mg/L After 14 days: ↓ at 0.4, 4, and 40 mg/L After 21 days: ↓ at all dosages Expression of immune-related genes in the hemocytes Hemocyanin and lysozyme: dose dependent ↓ Caspase: ↑ 0.04 and 4 mg/L, ↓ at 40 mg/L MyD88: ↑ at all dosages |
Murano et al. Environmental Pollution 2020 [105] | Polystyrene microbeads (10 and 45 μm) | 10 particles /mL | 24 h 48 h 72 h | Tank water | Mediterranean sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) | ↑ total number of immune cells ↑ ratio between red and white amoebocyte (at 3 times for 10 μm beads and only at 48 and 72 h for 45 μm beads) ↑ intracellular levels of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (at 24 h only for both 10 and 45 μm beads) ↑ total antioxidant capacity (at 72 h for 10 μm beads) |
Revel et al., Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 [106] | Polyethylene and Polypropylene 0.4–400 μm | 10–100 μg/L | 10 days | Soil | Ragworm (Hediste diversicolor) | Coelomocytes No variation of phagocytosis activity, phenoloxydase, and acid phosphatase |
Revel et al., Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2020 [107] | Polyethylene and Polypropylene fragments < 400 μm | 0.008–10-100 μg of particles/L | 10 days | Tank water | Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) | Hemolymph No variation of ROS production, acid phosphatase activity, and DNA damage |
Green et al., Environ. Pollut. 2019 [108] | High density Polyethylene (HDPE) 0.48–316 μm Polylactic acid (PLA) 0.6–363 μm | HDPE 845 particles/L PLA 1296 particles/L | 52 days 2 h/day | MP-dosed microalgae Isochrysis galbana | Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) | Hemolymph proteome HDPE group Dysregulation of 6 protein involved in immune response ↑ three complement C1q domain-containing (C1qDC) proteins (FR715598.1; FR715581; HE609753.1), and fibrinogen-related protein (OPL33687.1) ↓ macrophage migration inhibitory factor (HE609105.1), Microfibril-Associated Glyco 4 (OPL32613.1) PLA group dysregulation of 3 protein involved in immune response ↑ C1Q Domain Containing 1Q19 (FR715598.1) and Fibrinogen-Related (OPL33687.1) ↓ Microfibril-Associated Glyco 4 (OPL32613.1) |
Revel et al. Frontiers in Environmental Science 2019 [78] | Commercial polyethylene and polystyrene mixture (< 400 μm) | 0.008, 10, 100 μg/L | 10 days | Tank water | Mussel (Mytilus spp.) | Hemolymph No variation hemocyte count ↑ acide phosphatase activity (0.008 and 10 μg/L) ↑ DNA damage (10 and 100 μg/L) |
Both nanoplastics and microplastics | ||||||
Shi et al., J. Hazard. Mater. 2020 [109] | Polystyrene beads 500 nm (NP) and 30 μm (MP) | 0.29 mg/L | 14 days | Tank water | Bivalve mollusk (Tegillarca granosa) | Hemocytes ↓ total hemocytes count ↓ phagocytosis ↓ viability (NP only) ↑ ROS content ↑ Caspase 3 activity ↑ malondialdehyde content ↓ ATP content (NP only) ↓ pyruvate kinase activity ↑ GABA content |
Tang et al., Environ. Pollut. 2020 [110] | Polystyrene 500 nm (NP) and 30 μm (MP) and | 1 mg/L | 4 days | Tank water | Bivalve mollusk (Tegillarca granosa) | Hemocytes ↓ hemocytes count, basophils count, phagocytosis ↓ lysozyme (NP only) ↓ TLR4 (NP only), TRAF6, IKKα, NFκB gene expression ↑ Bcl2 (NP only), Caspase 3, Calmodulin gene expression |